VIRGIN STEELE — Virgin Steele (review)

VIRGIN STEELE — Virgin Steele album cover Album · 1982 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Virgin Steele" is the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album by US heavy/power metal act Virgin Steele. The album was released through V.S.Records (the band´s own label) in December 1982. Virgin Steele was formed in 1981 by guitarist Jack Starr and most of the year was spend auditioning members for the lineup and writing material. By the end of 1981 the band´s first lineup was complete with Jack Starr on guitars, David Defeis on vocals and keyboards/piano, Joe O'Reilly on bass, and Joey Ayvazian on drums. The band debuted in 1982 with the track "Children of the Storm" on the "U.S. Metal Vol. II" various artists compilation album.

"Children of the Storm" also appears on the tracklist here, while the remaining tracks on the album all appeared on the band´s 1982 demo tape in early demo versions. Stylistically Virgin Steele play a hard rocking heavy metal style, which sometimes becomes a little harder edged. Opening track "Minuet In G Minor/Danger Zone" is for example one of the most aggressive and hard edged tracks on the album as is "Children of the Storm" (early Savatage is a valid reference), while many of the other tracks are closer in style to late 70s hard rocking Van Halen. "Still In Love With You" is a ballad type track and honestly the band (at least at this point) didn´t have the songwriting skills to pull that off. The closing title track features the most prominent use of keyboards, which provides that track with a slightly epic atmosphere.

The musicianship is on a high level on all posts. The rhythm section is tight, organic, and hard rocking, Starr is a skilled guitarist delivering a constant attack of heavy/hard rock riffs, licks, and solos (and occasionally showcasing a neo-classical influence), while Defeis quickly establishes that he is a both skilled and versatile vocalist. He can hit some ridiculously high notes and does it frequently, but he can also deliver more hard rocking mid-range vocals. Usually with a swagger that Bon Scott would have been proud of. Of course Defeis is more of a heavy/power metal style vocalist, but there´s attitude here that not all vocalist in that genre can deliver.

The album is not the most well produced release, but taking into consideration that this is a self-produced and self-released affair it´s actually decently produced. It´s a bit thin (trembly) sounding, but that wasn´t unusual for albums in this style from the early- to mid 80s. Upon conclusion "Virgin Steele" is an entertaining debut album by Virgin Steele. It´s a bit too much all over the place to be a successful coherent release, but there is certainly promise enough here to warrant a 3 star (60%) rating.
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